A Tight Squeeze
by pinkcat4569
Summary: A rival company's attempt to steal a product goes horribly wrong when a yellow ball of light and an overgrown lizard appear.   Luckily, the ARC has a little computer genius to help, but getting out will still be a tight squeeze.


A Tight Squeeze

Rating: K+

Spoilers: No

Description: A rival company's desperate attempt to steal a product goes horribly wrong when a yellow ball of light and an overgrown lizard complicate things. Luckily, the ARC has a little computer genius on their side. Still, getting the job done and getting out alive with be a tight squeeze.

Disclaimer: Don't own Primeval or characters.

Author's Note: The computer stuff may not be right, and the save at the end is highly unlikely to work, don't really care. :) Thank you.

3842 Words

A Tight Squeeze

"I don't understand why you have to go inside. If it's a computer problem, why can't you do it from Ops?"

"Becker, the computer at the factory is infected. In order to get in to find the creature, I have to fix the computer, and to do that I need the computer itself."

"Let me see if my bureaucratic mind has this straight," said Lester. 'A computer at a shoe factory was attacked by a rival company wanting a super secret shoe design. A computer virus made the computer malfunction, causing the factory to lock down."

Lester waited for Jess to nod then he exclaimed, "It's shoes!"

"Welcome to the world of industrial espionage, Lester," said Jess. "The rival company probably didn't think the entire factory would close, maybe they did, and they have an operative inside with an escape plan."

Lester shook his head. "Operatives, escape plans. It's shoes!"

Jess giggled. "A good designer shoe can cost thousands Lester. There is big money at stake."

"Thousands?" chipped in Becker, "for a shoe?"

"People! You're off topic," yelled Matt. "Carnivorous dinosaur, remember? It's inside a locked building with hundreds of workers."

"Right, of course," said Jess. "Which is why you and Becker need to get me inside and at that computer. Immediately."

"I don't like it," said Becker. "It's too risky."

"So we let the dinosaur have a smorgasbord?" asked Jess.

Becker groaned. "Of course, not." Then he pointed at Jess. "You stay with me, and do what I say."

"Yes, captain," she said with a salute. Becker glared at her. "I promise Becker. I know its your job to protect me. Let me do my job and make a miracle with the sick computer."

Becker nodded, but was not happy.

"Let's go," said Matt.

Lester sat at the ADD, watching the surveillance of the factory. "It's shoes!"

"Here's the plan," said Matt, "Abby, Emily and I will go in and lead evacs. Becker and Jess go after the computer. Connor, the anomaly is yours. Find and close it."

"Um, it's locked. How do we get inside?" asked Jess.

Becker smiled. "With an all-purpose key," he said, holding up a small explosive.

He tossed it to his second in command, Lt. Flowers.

"Should you be throwing those around?" asked Connor.

Becker and Flowers exchanged grins. Flowers turned his attention to the door, while Becker turned to Jess.

"What are you doing?" she asked, as he fit a black protective vest around her. "It clashes with my outfit," she said with a smirk.

Becker scoffed. "So would blood and guts."

"Becker! Yuck!" she cried.

Becker laughed. "You're going in, but as head of security I say how you're going in. It's with clashing protective gear. Sorry."

She frowned. "No, you aren't."

He smiled great big.

"This offers protection against carnivores, does it?" she asked.

"Jess, you yourself said the computer was attacked. Prove to me there aren't any hostiles inside, besides the dinosaur, and we will discuss taking off the vest. And yes, it may slow down chewing."

Jess shuddered.

"OK. The door's set," called Flowers. "It's a small charge, shouldn't do much more than pop open the door."

"Still, it might agitate the dinosaur," said Connor.

"That's on your list too Connor, proper id of the creature," said Matt.

"Got it."

"Don't get too close Temple," said Becker.

"Really? I was going to ask it to pose for the camera," said Connor.

Becker smirked. "Ready?"

They all nodded from their cover, and Becker hit the detonator.

There was a small explosion, a little rattling, and the door opened. Becker's men went in first.

"Jess, any idea where the anomaly is?" asked Connor.

"I only had a few seconds before the cameras went down. It looked like the anomaly was in an office though."

"Offices are on the top floor," said Becker.

"That should be where the mainframe is," said Jess.

"Right, you, Jess and Connor head to the top floor. We'll help your men locate and evacuate civilians," said Matt. Becker nodded.

Matt, Abby and Emily went room by room, calling for people. Some of the doors were locked, and Becker's men use conventional guns to shoot off the handles.

Then they led people out.

"Did you catch them?" asked a man in a shirt and tie.

"Them?" asked Abby. "We thought there was only one animal."

The man shuddered. "That creature is still on five. I never saw it, but it sounded unreal. I could hear screaming and people asking what the hell it was," said the man, crying. Abby phoned the info to Becker, while he continued, "No, I meant the armed men three of them somewhere. They demanded the Parisian Pride."

"Huh?" asked Matt.

"The new shoe," said Abby, "right?"

The man nodded.

Matt shook his head. "It's a shoe."

The man stared at him. He was in shock.

"OK, you go on out and take care of your people," said Matt.

"So many are still inside. You'll get them?"

Matt nodded.

The man nodded back, glancing uncertainly behind him. Matt figured that he was some sort of company leader, and hated to leave his people.

Becker's men continued firing at locks, freeing trapped people.

"Why don't you lead this bunch outside," Matt told the man, patting his shoulder. "We'll get the rest. It's our job. You're job is to take care of them after. OK?"

The man awoke at the sight of terrified workers leaving a room.

"Right," he said and with renewed spirit he called to his people, "This way everyone. Stay calm. We need to get out of the way so the rescuers can do their jobs. Come on, let's go." Matt smiled as the man escorted them from the building.

"Becker," he said into the comm, "Do you read?"

"Yeah Matt."

"We have three hostile humans, somewhere in the building. Copy?"

"Yeah, we're almost to Level five."

"Copy."

"Level five," said Connor, at the top of the stair well.

"Jess, hang back," said Becker. He and Connor cautiously opened the door. The floor looked like a typical office: carpet, desks, cubicles, and the like. Becker motioned for Jess, and she quickly came to his side.

Connor went left, checking every room. Becker and Jess went straight. The walked a few steps when they saw the first bodies.

"Oh, god," whispered Jess. The bodies were mangled, and bloody. She gasped as she saw body parts.

"Just look at me, or my back anyway," said Becker.

"Right," said Jess.

She followed Becker closely.

"Step up and over Jess," he said, guiding her over the carnage. He stayed alert, though, his gun trained ahead.

"I wanted to come into this...mess," whispered Jess, seeing a smear of red out of her eye.

Becker weakly chuckled. "Well, if there's a sick computer somewhere, you feel the need to fix it."

She chuckled weakly, pressed to his back. She wanted to hang on his arm, but to her credit, she did not want to distract him any further.

As they approached the second room, Becker saw the yellow shine of the anomaly.

"Connor, the anomaly is in second room straight down the hall."

"Gotcha."

"Any creatures?" asked Jess..

"No."

"Good," said Connor, now behind Jess. "Don't need an audience." He took the locking device inside, while Jess and Becker continued down the hall.

The last room held the mainframe.

"Right, this I can handle," said Jess, getting right to work.

"The computer's a mess," she said. "It's going to take a while to clean it."

"Just do it as fast as you can," said Becker, standing guard, outside the room.

Connor was coming down the hall, having locked the anomaly. Suddenly, alarms started blaring and the lights were flashing.

"What the hell?" cried Becker.

"The place is going nuts," said Connor.

"Don't worry. It's just this sick computer playing with the security system. That's why I needed inside. It can trigger all kind of things. Oh, there goes the thermostat," she said and sudden chill went through the building.

"Becker, do you read?"

"Yes, Matt."

"The doors down here just locked. The lights are going crazy and, whoa, it's pitch black now."

"Yeah, Matt," said Jess. "The computer's doing it. Hang on."

"Any sign of the creature?" asked Becker.

"No. No sign of hostiles either," answered Matt.

"Copy that."

"Okay, I've isolated the virus, and now I'm repairing and rewriting code. Lights should be back on now. Matt?" asked Jess.

"Yeah. We've got light. You're good."

Jess smiled. "Restoring temperature, and now to unseal the doors. Darn! Something is preventing it. What is going on? Oh, Becker, I think I found the creature. There's a special program, when any movement is detected within a certain proximity to the shoes, it locks down the area. Something triggered it just outside shoe storage, level three."

"OK, we'll head that way," said Matt.

After a few minutes, he came back. "Jess, we still can't get off level one."

"But I overrode the system. You should...Oh no. That's why. Something triggered lock down on level one. Three somethings actually."

"The hostiles," said Becker.

"Copy," said Matt.

"Connor, see if you can find a way to level three."

Connor nodded and ran off.

"Go with him," said Jess.

Becker hesitated.

"I'm fine," said Jess. "Both threats are away from here, and they are isolated and trapped. Go!"

Becker nodded, and reluctantly left.

Jess worked, determined to get the computer back on line. She needed the doors opened and all systems running. She hoped everyone was OK.

"Matt, what's your situation?"

"Uh, can I get back to you?" asked Matt.

"Matt?" asked Becker, then he heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Who are you? You don't work for Brilliant Shoes," it said.

"No," said Matt. "I'm guessing you and your friends are responsible for all this."

"Over a shoe," said Abby.

"Nice gun," said another voice. "I like mine better. You can't beat an assault rifle, mate."

Becker heard and deduced that Matt and the girls had found the hostiles. Becker walked toward the door to the stairs and found Connor trying to squeeze into the trash chute.

"Connor, you're joking."

"We know it connects," said Connor. "Hey, I think I can fit inside. It's bigger than it looks. They must throw lots of shoes away."

Becker ignored him. "Jess, we need the doors open."

"I know, Becker. Working on it."

"Yes! Got the cameras up," said Jess. "I just cleared the system. I can see everything in the building."

She gasped.

"What is it Jess?"

"Three armed men holding Abby, Emily, and Matt."

"I know. We have to trust that they can handle it," said Becker. "Our priority is the creature."

"Right."

"Can you see any civilians on level three?"

"No. I see the creature, though. Sending picture to your mobile."

"Good," said Connor. "Bad. It's an allosaurus. Just as mean as t-Rex but smaller."

"We need in," said Becker.

"I have to unlock the doors one at a time. Hold on. Writing code now, and ….your door should be open."

Connor pulled the door open. "Girl's a genius," he said.

"Working on Level Three door now. Be careful."

"We will Jess," said Becker. "Good work."

Jess quickly had the door to level three open. Soon she saw Becker and Connor approaching the storage room where an allosaurus rampaged through thousands of shoes.

Jess herself was safe. It was her team that wasn't. 'Think Jess.' She ran through all the systems now at her disposal. She smiled. She pinpointed the sprinkler system for Level One.

"Matt, if you copy, and they can't hear, say your girlfriend's name," see said into the comms.

Jess watched and listened.

Matt said, "Are you alright, Emily?"

Jess smiled.

"I am fine," said Emily, playing along.

"Listen, I'm going to turn on the sprinklers, maybe you can take advantage of the surprise," she said.

Abby looked up briefly and smiled at the camera.

One of the hostiles said, "This is your last chance. Who are you? What do want?"

Suddenly they were drenched by sprinklers. The ARC team quickly disarmed the gunmen: Abby kicking the gun from her guard while Lady Emily punched her guard in the face, taking his gun. Matt simply tackled his man.

"Good work," said Matt. "Thanks, Jess."

"Anytime. I'll have the doors open in a minute. Oh. Becker and Connor just engaged the allosaurus."

"Are they OK?" asked Abby.

"At the moment, yes. I don't know how to help them."

"Just get the doors open so we can help," said Matt.

"Right," said Jess. "What did you do with the gunmen?"

"Tied up and locked in a closet," said Abby.

"Right, I'll alert Flowers," said Jess. "Doors locking level one are open."

She watched the screen as Matt, Abby, and Emily charged up the stairs to level three.

Jess continued restoring systems, one at a time. She kept an uneasy eye on the battle. All five of the team were present, shooting at once at the allosaurus, finally it was knocked unconscious.

"Well done," she said, relieved.

"Thanks," said Becker.

She smiled hearing his voice and knowing for certain that he was safe.

"Jess, we're going to help the recovery team with the dinosaur."

"OK, Matt. I've cleared the area. Recovery is entering the building now. Lt. Flowers and his men are taking the gunmen out."

"Roger."

Jess was securing the system, watching the dinosaur removal as she did so. All civilians were cleared, so soon she was the only one left in the building.

"Dino secured," said Abby cheerfully.

"Right, I'm going back inside."

Matt smirked. "She's fine, Becker, unless there's another reason to go back in?"

The others smirked, but Becker glared at him. Luckily for Matt, Flowers interrupted.

"Captain," he said. "One of the gunmen said something disturbing. He said that if we were here for the shoe, in a few minutes we'd be very unhappy."

Becker exchanged confused looks with Matt.

"Jess," said Becker in his comm. "Get out now."

"I'm all most done, be patient."

"No, Jess. Something's wrong. Until we find out what, I want you out of the building now."

"OK, on my way." She got to the door of the room, when she heard it lock, followed by a voice speaking.

"This is your warning," it said, "we will detonate the entire building in ten minutes. Repeat, you have ten minutes to get to safety before you go up in smoke with the shoes."

"We have a problem," said Jess.

"We heard," said Matt.

Jess ran to the computers. "There was another virus buried inside and its restored the first one."

"Try the door, Jess," said Abby.

Jess ran to the door.

"I can't get out," she said, pulling at the door and trying desperately not to panic.

Becker kicked and pulled at the front door.

"It's OK," he said with fake calm. "I'm coming. I'll get you. Hang on."

Matt ran to the gun men. "What the hell did you do?"

The man smiled. "If we can't have that shoe, no one can."

"You're going to commit murder for a shoe?" cried Emily.

"No way. You have ten minutes to clear the building."

"We can't get in!" yelled Connor.

The man went white. "We...didn't do that."

"Your computer virus did. It's mucked up the whole system. There's a woman inside and we can't get her out!" cried Matt.

The gunman got paler. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. No one was supposed to get hurt."

Matt threw the man back and ran to Becker.

"Jess, you have to get the door open," said Becker.

"No, really? I hadn't guessed," she snapped. Jess worked her fingers in a flurry over the keyboard. "I can't," she said finally. "Becker, the system is totaled. I can't get in." There was a pause, and then she whispered, "Oh my God. I'm going to die."

Becker was terrified, but kept his voice calm and steady. "No you're not. I'm coming in. Somehow I'll get you."

"You can't," she said, her voice shaking. "Even if you could, you'll only get blown up with me. Get back, Becker," she said, clearly crying now. "Please just get everyone back. I don't want anyone hurt, especially not you."

Abby and Connor exchanged worried glances. Matt kicked at the doors. Becker was still.

"Connor!" he cried suddenly, pulling him back. "Get me a layout of the building."

"I can't, it would take too long. Jess has the only laptop here and its inside."

Becker sighed.

He leaned against a car, and took a deep breath. "Jess, listen to me and don't argue," he said evenly. "Can you get into any computer?"

Jess sniffled. "Yes, my laptop."

"Good, find me schematics of the building. Don't argue, just do it."

"OK." A few seconds later. "They're up."

"Good. Look for anything not affected by the lock out."

"There's nothing Becker, nothing."

"Jess, calm. How about the air ducts, do they travel between floors?"

"Um...Yes. They don't connect to the outside."

"The trash chute does," said Connor. Becker looked at him. "And they have to run straight into each other for the trash to fall. Do you remember where you saw me trying to get in?"

Becker nodded, and quickly patted Connor's shoulder.

"Becker, you'll never fit! Besides, you have less than five minutes. Becker?"

"Sorry, Jess. He's already inside the chute," said Connor.

"What? He'll get stuck. He's too big," she said, "He'll get killed...for nothing."

"Jess, if you were Abby right now, I'd be where Becker is. It isn't for nothing. Now find the trash chute, it should be by the stairwell door. He's going to get there. Be ready."

"Yes, Connor," said Jess.

"She's right," said Matt. "He's too big. There isn't enough time."

"Don't underestimate the power of desperation," said Connor. "He'll get the impossible done just to get to her."

They watched in horror as the clock clicked down. Becker's men were with them and they were as scared as the rest. They all hung back by the cars.

When the clock hit 2:14 minutes left, there was an explosion inside the building.

"Oh my God!" screamed Emily.

"It's early. The damn thing is early!"" screamed Matt.

Everyone rushed to the building. The doors were still locked.

"The building is intact," said Abby. "Maybe the explosion was small."

Just then they heard alarms from inside, and smelled smoke.

"Oh, No! It's on fire!" cried Connor.

Everyone ran to the doors trying desperately to get them open.

"Please, please," moaned Abby.

"It's no use," said Matt. "We can't get in."

"We have more small explosives sir," said Flowers.

Matt nodded. Flowers and his men ran to get them.

As the team waited, firemen arrived.

"Two of our people are trapped inside, and we can't get in. We're going to blow the doors," said Matt, seeing Flowers running up with explosives.

"Not a good idea, could start more fire," said the fire captain, "but the jaws of life might work."

Matt and Flowers argued with the fire captain.

Connor said, "The chute, maybe..."

He ran to the side where the trash chute was, and the others followed.

"Through there?" asked the Captain. "Sorry, son. No one's coming out through there."

Then they heard a metallic rumbling. Soon the chute was visibly distorting out of shape. Finally, Becker's head popped out, coughing.

"Becker!" Connor yelled in relief.

Abby, panicked, asked, "Jess?"

Becker smiled, and pulled himself out, helped by Connor, then he turned so they could see inside the chute, and there, coughing but alive was Jess.

Abby giggled.

Connor helped Becker pull her out.

"We're a little singed," said Becker, smacking dust and smoke off him.

"Fire...everywhere," said Jess, through coughs and gasps for air. She laid her head on Abby's shoulder as Abby held her. "We could feel the heat from inside the chute."

Matt slapped Becker on the back. "You're crazy. I can't believe it worked, but thank God it did."

The fire captain looked at Becker. "You're at least six feet tall," he said, "how in hell did you get through?"

Becker laughed and looked at Jess. "Had to," he said, smiling at her. She blushed and hugged him.

The captain chuckled. "It never ceases to amaze me what need and adrenaline can accomplish. Amazing, son, just amazing," he said, shaking Becker's hand. "If you'll excuse me, I still have a fire to deal with. Once we get in."

"I got it," said Jess, producing her laptop. Coughing, she opened it, and typed. Then she said, "OK."

The captain looked skeptical, but tried the door. It opened right up. He smiled, and waved his troops inside.

"If you lot ever want to join the Fire Department, let me know," he yelled with a smile, before rushing in himself.

Jess sighed walked tiredly back into Becker's arms.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I hate it when you're in the field," he said, his head against the top of hers.

She chuckled. "Why does it always end in a threat of death by explosion?"

He shook his head, and hugged her tightly.

"Well," said Matt. "Job's done. Back to the ARC?"

"Oh, no," said Connor. "If we ever deserved a drink after a job, this is it."

Matt nodded. "To the pub."

Everyone laughed and got in the 4x4, except Becker and Jess.

"I thought I was dead," said Jess.

"I wouldn't let that happen," he said.

"You shouldn't have endangered yourself."

"I'm sorry Jess, but I can't help it. I'll always put myself in danger for you."

She smiled. "I'm going to kiss you now, and if you think it's complicating the job and our lives, tough. Shut up and kiss me."

Becker laughed. "Yes, ma'am," he said.

They both leaned in, closed their eyes, and kissed, gently and with emotion.

"Well, it's about time," said Matt, inside the van with everyone else.

Connor chuckled. "I'm proud of Action Man for not running away."

Abby smiled. "I think it's great."

"They are kissing for a long time," said Emily.

Connor shrugged. "They were stupid for a long time, so it figures."

Finally Matt honked the horn and Abby yelled out, "Smooch after the pub. We're thirsty!"

Becker and Jess broke apart, blushing and giggling.

"I guess we should go," said Becker.

"Will we smooch after the pub?" asked Jess.

Becker smirked. "Definitely, and maybe inside the pub as well?"

"I like it," said Jess, taking Becker's offered hand.

They noticed the smirks and smiles as they climbed in the van.

"So, Jess. How do feel about shoes now?" asked Abby.

"I still like them. I may boycott this brand for a while though. It depends how cute they are."

Becker chuckled.

"Was kissing Action Man worth almost blowing up?" asked Connor.

"Shut up, Temple."

Everyone laughed as Matt started the 4x4 and drove to the pub to celebrate a job done well, and lives saved.

The End


End file.
